The present invention relates to an improved fluid-supply manifold connectable to a plurality of closely-spaced, parallel fluid supply lines, such as fuel supply lines, and attachable to a fluid-receiving member, such as a fuel injector, for purposes of feeding fluid to the fluid-receiving member through a plurality of supply lines.
Multi-line fluid supply manifolds are known having a plurality of closely-spaced parallel inlet connections to which supply lines, such as rigid fuel lines, are attached such as by compression fittings. Such known manifold systems present a space problem which interferes with the connection and disconnection of closely-spaced supply lines to the manifold, whereby it is difficult to attach or detach the fittings of one flexible supply line due to the closeness of the fittings present on an adjacent supply line.
In the case of high temperature installations, such as fuel injectors on gas turbine engine housings, the heat of the engine housing induces high temperature stresses in the fuel supply manifold which can lead to line splitting and failure during operation. Disconnection and replacement of the manifold and the connected fuel lines is difficult and time-consuming.
Also, while it is advantageous to use multi-line fuel manifolds having flexible supply lines on gas turbine engines, because of the limited amount of space available, such has been difficult with prior-known multi-line manifolds. Flexible fuel supply lines conveniently are connected to the manifold inlets by means of crimped metal sleeves or tightenable clamps. However, the lack of space between the parallel fuel inlets on a multi-line supply manifold prevent the crimping or tightening of sleeves or clamps on closely-spaced flexible fuel lines or hoses.